Improvement in fire-proof safes



T. HYATT.

Fire-Proof Safes., t Y

1 N0. 142,476. I Patented Serptember2,1873.

` i WIIN s SEE: v INVENTDEL l 1. GMW@ E9 UNITED STATES firmen.

ATENT IMPROVUEMET FIRE-PROOF SAFES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 142,476., dated September 2, 1873; application filed August 21, 1873.

To `all fwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THEoDoRE HYATT, of New York, in the county of New York and in the State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire- Proof Safes; and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing making a part of this specication, in which- VFigure 1 is a front elevation of my improved safe, the door being opened so as to afford a view of its interior. Fig.` 2 is a vertical central section of the same upon a line parallel to its front and rear sides, and Fig. 3 is a like view upon a line extending from front to rear.

Letters oi' like name and kind refer to like parts in each of the figures.

The design of my invention is to increase the efciency and durability of a safe by rendering its interior incombustible; to which end it consists in a safe having its book-case constructed of or fromsheets of asbestus, substantially as and for the purpose hereinafter specified.

In the annexed drawing, -A and A represent the sides, Bthe bottom, C the top, and D the rear side, ot' a iireproof safe, constructed of sheet or cast metal in any suitable form, and containing a central compartn1ent, E, for the reception of books, papers, or other valuables. Between the metal walls of the safe and the exterior lines of the compartment E the space is filled with any suitable material which is a non-conductor of heat; and within said compartment is placed a casing, F, that conforms to and closely fills the same; is open at its front, and is suitably divided, by meansf of vertical and horizontal partitions f and j, respectively, into spaces for the reception of drawers, beks, papers, &c. The casing F, its partitions, and the drawers, are constructed of or from sheets of asbestusboard or paper,

which sheets have a suitable thickness, are

4joined together in any usual manner, and

have their surfaces protected and rendered smooth by lmeans of lacquer, wood-veneerin g, or-any other covering desired. The front ofthe casing may be inclosed by means of a hinged door of the asbestus paper or board 5 or said door G may be secured to or upon the inner face of the safe-door H, so as to closely dll the space within said casing-front when said safe-door is closed together, as shown in the drawing. In the latter case, the door Gr should be held at its edges only, so as to leave an air-space between it and the face of the safe-door. It may prove advantageous to leave an air-'space between the casing and the walls of the safe, in which` event the interior face of said walls maybe composed of asbestus paper or board, so as,- thereby to increase the heat-resisting qualities of the safe, it having been proved that asbestus is one of the best non-conductors ot' heat that is in use.

The advantages possessed by my improved` safe, as compared with others in commonuse, are, first, the interior of the safe is rendered absolutely'indestructible and unchangeable by heat, while, in safes having wooden casings, the effect of intense heat is to generate from the wood pyroligneous acid, which, in its action upon papers, is but slightly less dcstructive than re 5 second, the asbestus paper or board is not only proof against changefrom or by heat, but it is so poor a conductor ot' heat as-to cause the temperature within the safe to maintain a much lower degree than in cases where either wood or metal is ein: ployed for the construction of the casings; third, the casing constructed from asbestus board or paperis materially lighter in weight than where wood is employed, while, from its ent-ire insensibilty to change from variations in the temperature or humidity of the air, the great annoyance experienced from the warping, swelling, and shrinkage of woodis Having thus fully set forth 'the nature and merits ot' my invention, what I claim as new 1sfrom sheets of asbestus paper or board, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 19th, dayiof August, 1873.

THEODORE HYATT. Witnesses:

GEO. S. PRINDLE, EDM. F. BROWN.

In a fire-proef safe, a book-case constructed 

